Game



Dec. 3, 1929. sc 1,738,265

G AME Filed Aug. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Dennis A. 5(4/7/4/1 ATTORNEYS Dec. 3, 1929. D. R. SCANLAN GAME Filed Aug. 9. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Den/11 s RScqw/an ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application filed August 9, 1927. Serial No. 211,726.

The present invention relates to games of the kind which are particularly adapted to be played on surfaces such as the floor of a room, deck of a ship or lawns, though not necessarily restricted to such surfaces since if desired the game may be made in sizes suitable for use on a table.

The invention has for its object to provide a game, which although containing an element of chance, is primarily a game of skill and is particularly intended to develop skill in the very important art of putting in the game of golf.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for the novel game of my invention with which standard implements such as putters and golf balls may be employed, with the incidental advantage that the player unconsciously develops famillarlty 2e and skill in the handling of such implements.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a playing board or surface which may be readily carried about and laid 1n any suitable location.

By way of illustrative example, the invention will be hereinafter described and illustrated, with particular reference to a putting game and a card game, and various ways of playing such games will be described, but so it is to be understood that such illustrative embodiments are given by way of example only, and that the invention is not in any way limited to the specific embodiments described and illustrated but only by the scope of the claims appended to this specification.

In the drawings Fig. 1 shows a plan view of the layout of the golf game and Fig. 2 shows in plan the layout of the card game.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a centerplate used in the golf game.

Examination of Figure 1 will show that the board or playing surface is divided into three concentric zones-A, B, C, surrounding a central circular space on which is placed the centerplate D, which is formed as a truncated cone provided with a depression or hole at the top.

The centerplate is preferably formed from a metal stamping, and is merely laid on the center of the board. It is to be understood that the games may be played without using the centerplate since the center of the board may be'reckoned 100 points and the ball or chip putted or thrown into this innermost circle. The use of the plate is preferred since the ball is thereby rolled out to a zone depending on the hei ht to which the ball has run up the slope o the centerplate; that is a putt right in direction but which was made with slightly less than the necessary force would carry the ball almost to the rim of the hole in the centerplate and the ball would roll back to the outermost zone, whereas a putt made with considerably less force would result in the ball stopping at the base of the plate or would run a little way up the slope of the plate and would come to rest on a zone closer to the centerplate.

The method of scoring may be arranged to suit the players. By way of example, holing the ball might count 100 points, and the zones might count 10 for one zone, 25 for the next zone, and for the third zone, and the game might consist of nine innings of one stroke each.

As indicated in the drawings, the zones are sub-divided and the sub-divisions are also numbered, and preferably, also, coloured, the colors being red, black and yellow, arranged in a specific symmetrical formation. The players putt from a definite point as for instance from the circumference of a circle several feet in diameter having the centerplate as center and receive marks corresponding to their skill in applying the right amount of force on the ball, and according to the accuracy of direction, and are penalized for inaccuracy in direction and error in applying the proper amount of force.

The game is made additionally interesting by arranging the board as shown, to roughl represent a roulette board and scoring additional points by the colour and number of the sub-division on which the ball comes to rest should the player fail to hole the ball. An alternative way of playing with the centerplate is to provide the latter with a cover for the hole as indicated by dotted lines on- Fig. 3, in which case the object of the player is to play the ball squarely over the top of the plate and cause the ball to run downon to the colour desired on the side of the board away from the player.

It is to be understood, of course, that the size of the board is immaterial, as is the number of zones and the method of marking or colouring them. The particular arrangement described, however, has been evolved as the result of considerable experimentation and enables a very interesting game to be played which has the further merit of trainmg players in the use of the clubs, such as putters, and in judging the roll of the ball and the proper amount of force to be applied.

If desired, the element of golf can be omitted from the game, and an arrow turning on an n right placed in the center of the board may e substituted for the centerplate. A lurality of arrows might be provided with a single support, so that the numbers played mi ht be chosen as desired in the 1st, 2nd, or 3r or any other zone.

I prefer to mark the board upon a rug or carpet in any suitable manner, and to utilize both sides of such rug or carpet by placing on the reverse side a second board of generally similar character, but sub-divided into divisions arranged to receive a. complete deck of cards with the joker placed in the center. This board is shown in Fig. 2.

While I do not limit m self to the particular arrangement of car s shown, this arrangement has been found extremely well suited to the playing of a very large number of card games and is the one preferred by me.

The games are intended to be played by putting a olf ball as in the golf game, the player-en eavoring to place the ball upon the card desired, the centerplate representing the joker, or by utilizing small discs or chips of different colours, which the players endeavor to toss upon the card desired from an agreed standing point. Since these chips may be of any suitable form none are illustrated, but they could with advantage be given a shape to reduce rolling to a minimum.

It has been found that a very large number of card games may be played with this board. By way of example, only two will be specifically applied, golf poker and golf hearts.

In playing golf poker the ball is played from outside of the outer circle, at a distance agreed upon by the pla ers. The game of golf oker can be playe by each player the players own discretion. If the player scores three aces and a joker, it is considered a hand of four aces. The best band is en titled to the highest score.

The number of points given for the best poker hand is agreed upon by the players before commencing the game.

The game is preferabl played with a golf ball, but can also be payed with a small fiat disk which is pitched from a distance agreed upon by the players, and the scores are counted in the same as when playing with a golf ball.

\Vhen playing the game of hearts, spades, clubs, or diamonds, the ball is played from outside of the outer circle, at a distance agreed upon by the players. A player selects his suit before commencing the game, and he has to adhere to the same suit throughout the entire innings, which may be fixed for instance at nine, of one shot to each player. The players endeavor to place the golf ball on the cards of the suit they are playing.

The scores may be made by giving 25 points for center plate or center clrcle, and as follows: ace-14 points, king-13 points, queen-l2 points, jack-11 points, and other cards as indicated with their numbers.

The game may also be played with small flat disks pitched from a distance agreed upon by the players, and the scores counted the same as when played with a golf ball.

It is to be understood that while I prefer to arrange the boards for the golf game and the card games as described, I do not desire to limit myself to those specific arrangements since various modifications of coloring and arrangements of cards or numbers or of the construction of centerplate may be effected. without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Further it is pointed out that while I prefer to arrange the boards on opposite sides of one rugof a size such that it may be readily rolled up and transported from place to place, the invention is not limited to so arranging the boards. In this connection it is pointed out that I do not intend to limit the word board to mean a separate element carrying the diagram on which th games are played but to apply the diagram itself, however this may be mounted, for instance, the boards may be arranged on separate rugs, stencilled or otherwise painted on a floor, or

marked out on a lawn.

The boards, especially for playing the golf game, may be advantageously arranged on :1

having ve' chances in the same way as when.,.raised platform, and the players required to drawing five cards? The joker is represented by the centerplate or the center circle of the board and five {)zkers arethe highest possible score that can made.

The joker is considered a wild card, and

can be matched up with any other card, at-

approach from? lowidevel, thus requiring them to lift the ball with a niblick or other iron onto the higher level and introducing a further element of skill.

I claim:

1. A game of skill comprisin a circular board marked with a number of concentric masses zones, sub-divided to form a lurality of numbered sub-divisions, said su -divisions being coloured in three colours, arranged to give a sequence of contrasting colours and a circular centerplate adapted to be positioned in the center of said board, said centerplate having sloped sides and a recess adapted to receive a freely movable member, and a freely movable member adapted to travel over said board, scoring being determined by the position on said board at which said member comes to rest.

2.- A game of skill comprisin a circular board marked with a number 0? concentric zones sub-divided to provide a plurality of numbered sub-divisi0ns,-the number of certain of these sub-divisions being arranged to be alternately odd and even, and the divisions being coloured in three contrasting coloursv whereby scoring may be effected either by the value of the zone or the value of the sub-division, th colour of a sub-division, the number of a sub-division, or whether a certain subdivision number is odd or even, and a circular centerplate adapted to be positioned in the center of said board, said centerplate having sloped sides and a recess adapted to receive a freely movable member, and a freely movable member adapted to travel over said board, scoring being determined by the position on said board at which said member comes to rest.

3. A game of skill comprisin a circular board marked with a number 0? concentric zones, said zones being sub-divided to rovide a plurality of divisions in each of w ich is represented one playing card of a complete deck of 52 cards, the joker being arranged in the innermost circle and a circular centerplate adapted to be positioned in the center of said board, said centerplate having sloped sides and a recess adapted to receive a freely movable member, and a freely movably member adapted to travel over said board, scoring bein determined by the position on said boar at which said member comes to rest.

4. A game of skill comprisin a circular board marked with a. number 0 concentric zones, said zones being sub-divided to provide a plurality of divisions in each of which a playing card is represented, each playing card being of a different value from the playing cards represented in the adjoining divisions and of a different suit, and a circular centerplate adapted to be positioned in the center of said board, said centerplate having sloped sides and a recess adapted to receive a freely movable member, and a freely movable member adapted to travel over said board, scoring being determined by the position on said board at which said member comes to rest.

DENNIS R. SCANLAN. 

